Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz

"Intense purple colour with violet hue and black core. The oak is still a bit upfront but will probably melt down with some age. Displaying a rather opulent yet slightly closed nose with ripe fruit, blackcurrants and blackberries, mulberries and elderberries, elegant toasting aromas and hints of cold smoke. On the palate rich yet elegant with complex approach, dark berries and black stone fruit, distinct toasting flavour backed by ripe tannins and mild acidity. A wonderful wine with lingering fruit and toasting aroma in the finish, excellent length and promising potential." Markus del Monego

• Winery: Jim Barry
  
• Varietal: 100% Shiraz
  
• Region: Clare Valley, Australia
  
• Vintage: 2017
  
• Alcohol: 14%
  
• Volume: 750ml
  
• Closure: Screwcap
• Other: Cellar up to 2050
• Food match: Lamb roast, beef, game meat, pork & pepperoni; tuna & salmon; pizza; BBQ & heavy red sauces; bleu-veined cheeses

Winery notes - A lovely, concentrated wine, with aromas of mulberry, sarsaparilla and vanilla entwined with sage and violet notes. Intense flavours of elderberries, plum, sage and five spice. The palate is medium bodied with a flow of purple fruit and fine sandy tannins. A wine of great complexity built to develop through the ages.

The name of ‘Armagh’ was bestowed by the original Irish settlers who arrived in 1849 and named the lush, rolling hills after their homeland. In 1968 the vineyard was planted by Jim Barry and yields less than two tonnes per acre. The soil is sandy gravel and receives an average rainfall of 600mm per year. The vineyard lies on a north-west facing slope which acts as a natural sun trap, ensuring the fruit is always fully ripened when picked.

CERTAIN NAMES RESONATE STRONGLY WITHIN THE HALLS OF AUSTRALIAN WINE HISTORY.... JIM BARRY IS ONE SUCH NAME. 

"It was Jim Barry’s drive and community spirit that helped shape South Australia’s Clare Valley as a benchmark producer of world class Riesling and cemented its place as one of Australia’s premier wine regions.

Jim Barry Wines has a strong lineage. Jim himself was the first qualified winemaker in the Clare Valley, graduating with the 17th Degree in Oenology from the famous Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1947. Working for 22 years as winemaker at the Clarevale Co-operative, Jim Barry became a pioneer of Australian table wine. He then went on to establish Taylors Wines in 1969 for the Taylor family.

Wife, Nancy, proved a driving force in the formation of Jim Barry Wines and sons, Peter, Mark & John were involved in the company’s rise. Peter Barry became managing director in 1985.

Today Peter’s children Tom, Sam and Olivia work for Jim Barry Wines as winemaker, commercial manager and brand ambassador respectively. Current custodian’s, Peter & Sue Barry, are deeply proud that Jim Barry Wines is still family owned, with three generations of Roseworthy graduates.

The Barry family name is synonymous with the Clare wine region and their deep ties to the local community continue to this day."

JIM BARRY WINES PARTNERS WITH MCGRATH FOUNDATION

"We (the Barry family) are proud to be part of a significant partnership with Jim Barry Wines and the McGrath Foundation. Every bottle of our Jim Barry Nurse Series Rosé, Jim Barry Nurse Series Shiraz and Jim Barry Nurse Series Cabernet sold will help fund specialist McGrath Breast Care Nurses, who support the 1 in 7 Australians diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Our lives have been touched by breast cancer and we are committed to using what we have, to do what we can, for those fighting their own battle. 

While we at Jim Barry are big supporters of breast care nurses and what they do for thousands of Australian families, we also have a very personal connection to the cancer. Olivia-Hoffmann Barry, wife of Jim Barry Wines third generation winemaker, Tom Barry has for many years been intrinsically linked to breast cancer through her parents, Dr Clive Hoffmann, who was a breast cancer surgeon for 35 years, and her own mother, Anne Marie was also diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020.

“Our family has actively fundraised for breast cancer charities for years. As the diagnosis of my mum has once again brought breast cancer back into our lives, it’s made us all think about how we can help raise money for thousands of Australian families as they navigate breast cancer with what we do so well every day, and that is wine.”

The Rose showcases a striking pink striped capsule and label featuring a female cricketer – based on our popular Cabernet Sauvignon, The Cover Drive – a fitting label for the McGrath Foundation founded by the late Jane McGrath and her husband Glenn in 2005.

With a very personal connection to breast cancer in our family, creating this Rose allows us not only to raise vital funds, but also awareness of this insidious disease.

We are honoured to have partnered with one of Australia’s most trusted charities, the McGrath Foundation.

We invite you to be part of this journey to raise money for McGrath Breast Care Nurses by purchasing a bottle of the Rose from Dan Murphy's or on our online shop."

Jim Barry

• 97/100 Points - Markus del Monego MW (2017 vintage)
  
• 96/100 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2017 vintage)
  
• Gold & 96/100 Points - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
  
• 97/100 Points - Peter Moser (2017 vintage)
  
• 95/100 Points - Nick Stock, James Suckling (2017 vintage)
  
• 95/100 Points - Pekka Nuikki (2017 vintage)
  
• 95/100 Points - Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal (2017 vintage)
  
• 93/100 Points - Joe Czerwinski , Robert Parker (2017 vintage)